It's hard to believe that a band that recently released its fourth critically-acclaimed record, played hundreds of shows, appeared at festivals, and topped regional polls, began as an accident. But nine years ago, Americana visionaries One Ton Pig were just two guys with no band contracted to play a bluegrass night at a local watering hole.

"We started with no expectations,"says primary singer-songwriter Michael Batdorf. "We made a pact for it to be a fun project, and to stop when we weren't having fun."

One Ton Pig released their latest album, "Lastville," in June, 2015. Tracks for this release were recorded at Henhouse Studios with the renowned engineer Ben Winship, and they were done mostly live in the studio. The group decided to go this route in order to capture more of the "live" feel of their sows, for which they have become known. "Lastville" puts forth One Ton Pig's maturity as songwriters, performers, and artists.

"Songwriting is first and foremost," Batdorf explains of the band's chemistry. "The guys come from different backgrounds musically and geographically, but they know how to support a song and tie into a cohesive sound."

The group's four-album oeuvre has collectively sold 4,500+ units and 15,000 digital downloads. The first two of these albums were recorded live, showcasing the band's unbridled and unvarnished creativity and virtuosity. Its 2012 self-titled studio album featured Grammy-nominee Matt Flinner on banjo, Ross Martin on guitar, and esteemed producer Ben Winship. The band was able to splurge on a state-of-the-art studio production due to its robust business as a live band.

One Ton Pig has headlined at such prestigious venues as Lake Dillon Amphitheater, Aspen HiFi Music Series, JacksonHoleLive's July Fourth Concert, Snowbasin Outdoor Series, Bozeman Music On Main, and have appeared at Targhee Fest, Jackson Hole Mountain Fest, Oyster Ridge Fest, and Victor Music On Main. They've also shared the bill with such esteemed artists as the McCourys, Wood Brothers, Chris Robinson and New Earth Mud, Railroad Earth, and Old Crow Medicine Show. The sextet has three times been voted "Best Band In Jackson Hole" by the readers of planet Jackson Hole. A special New Year's Eve 2015 show is set to include virtuoso Tont Furtado as the 7th member of One Ton Pig!

Thinking back to their humble beginnings, Batdorf says: "It amazes me how productive we've been. The communication and collaborative spirit in this band has been deep and honest, and that's why we've lasted.

Thinking back to their humble beginnings, Batdorf says: “It amazes me how productive we’ve been. The communication and collaborative spirit in this band has been deep and honest, and that’s why we’ve lasted.”

100 words:

Jackson Hole, Wyoming-based One Ton Pig melds the singer-songwriter tradition of artists like Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash with the imaginative genre-bending of jam bands. The result is a fingerprint aesthetic that blurs the lines between folk, jazz, country, bluegrass, gospel and rock’n’roll.

Their critically-acclaimed fourth album, “Lastville,” was released in June 2015. The group’s catalog has collectively sold 4,500+ CDs and 15,000 digital downloads.

One Ton Pig has appeared at numerous large festivals and has shared the bill with such artists as the McCourys, Wood Brothers, Chris Robinson, Railroad Earth, and Old Crow Medicine Show.

50 words:

Jackson Hole, Wyoming-based One Ton Pig melds the singer-songwriter tradition of artists like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson with genre-bending jam-band styles. it’s a fingerprint aesthetic that blurs lines between folk, jazz, bluegrass, and rock. Their critically-acclaimed fourth album, “Lastville,” was released in June 2015.